'Chary' the legendary sports photographer is no more

Chennai, Oct 3 (UNI) Mr K Narayanachari, a doyen in sports as well as news photography, died at a private hospital early today following brief illness.

'Chari', as he was affectionately called in media circles everywhere whenever he toured to discharge his professional duties, was admitted to the hospital for treatment of lung congestion.

However, he suffered a cardiac arrest and died at around 0130 hrs this morning, family sources said.

The 85-year-old Chari is survived by his wife, two sons and four daughters. One of his sons is working as Chief Photogrpaher of the well known English daily 'The Hindu'.

Chari had worked in 'The Hindu' for more than 40 years as photographer and rose to the level of Chief Photographer. He had covered several political and sporting events, in which he showed uncanny skill to capture rare photographs especially in cricket.

Famous cricket photographers around the world were in awe of his 'news sense' while taking pictures in an era when photography was not developed in terms of technology.

His passion for cricket photogrpahy, which began with the tour to India by West Indies in 1948-49, won him several accolades.

Many past and present cricketers Polly Umrigar, Bapu Nadkarni, M L Jaisimha, Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi, Sunil Gavaskar, Kapil Dev, Mohammad Azharuddin, Anil Kumble, Rahul Dravid and others shared a personal rapport with him, as did the stars in many other sports like hockey, tennis and table tennis.

The last rites were performed traditionally this afternoon at a burial ground in the city where his relatives and close friends paid homage to a 'legendary' photo journalist.

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